§ 20. Mr. Lionel Healdasked the Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the extension of the obligation of National Service, he will give immediate attention to the provision of a right of appeal from courts-martial, as recom- 1702 mended by the Lewis Committee in April, 1948.
§ Mr. StracheyI would ask the hon. and learned Member to await the reply to be given later this afternoon to a Question on this subject.
§ Later—
§ Mr. HealdOn a point of order. I refrained from pressing Question No. 20 at the right hon. Gentleman's request, when he asked me to await an answer to a later Question; but as the only other Question that could be relevant to the same matter is Question No. 58, I should like to be assured that there is to be an answer to that Question.
§ Mr. StracheyThe Question is down to the Minister of Defence, as the matter applies to all three Services, and I think it is far more proper that he should answer it.
§ Mr. HealdI should like to have an answer to my Question, and I should like to have it answered today.
§ At the end of Questions—
§ Mr. SpeakerIt is not within my power to give permission to ask a Question which has already been answered by the Minister. The answer may have been unsatisfactory, but it was an answer.
§ Mr. HealdMay I explain, with great respect, that the Question was deferred at the request of the right hon. Gentleman, on the understanding that it would be dealt with later. It has not been answered, and may I ask your permission Sir, to put the Question?
§ Mr. SpeakerI think that the hon. and learned Gentleman is anticipating. I gather that the hon. and gallant Member for Renfrew, Eastern (Major Lloyd) was asking a supplementary question on Question No. 41. I think that we had better get on with that first.
§ Mr. SpeakerWe have now reached the end of Questions and cannot go on I am afraid that the hon. and learned 1703 Member will have to be satisfied with a Written Answer.